


Mein Herz

by Ecto_biologist



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - World War II, M/M, World War II, world war ii au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-18
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-01-19 22:18:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1486150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ecto_biologist/pseuds/Ecto_biologist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>17 year old John Egbert, a small town boy from just outside of London, lives a peaceful suburban life with his dad. At least, he used to. In the year 1939, Hitler invades Poland, beginning world war II and John is unexpectedly drafted into the military where he meets many interesting friends. One of which, is a boy by the name of Dave Strider.</p><p>UPDATE: i stopped updating this and i will never continue. Save yourself. Keep scrolling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. News

**Author's Note:**

> i finally got an account on here wow! anyways, this first chapter goes by rather fast and it`s pretty short, but more is coming soon. i plan on chapters being a lot longer and the story will play itself out a lot better as time goes on. enjoy!

John Egbert was the type of boy that always stayed out of trouble if it was at all possible, aside from a few jokes now and then. He was from a small town just outside of London, a quiet town with very little drama or commotion. He lived with his father, in an old house that once belonged to John`s grandmother before she passed away. They lived a fairly peaceful life, John had a few close friends that lived nearby, and a pen pal that he wrote to once a month. It was roughly the year 1939, a rather stressful time for most of Europe, what with Adolf Hitler steadily gaining power and threatening the safety of surrounding countries. Britain didn't have much to worry about though, being an island and all. John would occasionally pick up a newspaper and skim through it, but he never seemed to fully grasp what was happening in other parts of the world.  
September 1st, 1939. That`s what the date was on the newspaper John walked past that day. On any other day, the paper would have bored him, although for some reason today he happened to glance at the headline in bold black letters at the top of the page. GERMANY INVADES POLAND. EUROPE AT WAR. John stopped dead in his tracks. This couldn`t be… Could it? All that he`d heard about on the news, and from travelers, and in newspapers… it was finally all catching up to him. His own country was at war. This was no longer everyone else’s problem, it was now his problem as well.   
He bolted home, running straight past the townspeople who would wave at him now and then. He firmly gripped the paper in his hand, having quickly paid for it before he ran off. John`s mind was racing as he burst through the front door of his house. “Dad! Dad!” he called out, barely able to catch his breath. He quickly ran into the kitchen, where Mr. Egbert was sitting in his usual place, newspaper in hand. “So you`ve heard too.” He said, his voice unusually dark and rather morbid sounding. John nodded silently, the still air making both of them uneasy. “We`ll be alright. I`m sure It`ll all blow over.” Mr. Egbert smiled reassuringly.   
He couldn`t have possibly been more wrong. As conflicts got worse and worse, John got more and more worried about what would happen to their peaceful suburban life. Days went by, then weeks, then months. More and more countries fell to Germany and the Nazi party, leaving only Great Britain to free all of Europe that was under Hitler`s rule.   
It was a crisp spring day when John received his grim news. He held the thin piece of paper in his shaking hands, not sure how to react to it yet. He read it over once more just to make sure that they had the right guy. It couldn`t be him. There was no way. He was only 17. Yet, sure enough, the letter read:   
John Egbert,  
As you are of age, it is your duty to the country of Great Britain to serve in the military and to join the fight against the forces of Nazi Germany. You are to report to the nearest military base in your area on March 15, 1940. Any refusal to report will be severely punished by the Law.   
John looked down at the swirling signature scrawled across the bottom of the page in disbelief. He had been drafted into the military.


	2. across the sea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here`s chapter 2! wow 2 in one day im on a roll! i stayed up till past midnight to write this i hope you guys enjoy it

On the other side of the world, lived a city boy from New York named Dave Strider. He didn’t care much about what was happening in Europe, not much of America did. The war going on overseas was just something you heard about occasionally on the radio, it was never a legitimate reason to worry. He would sometimes pick up small snippets from a news broadcast, or read the cover of a newspaper, but he usually simply brushed them off. ‘that`s their problem’ he would tell himself. Oh, how he`d wished it had stayed their problem.  
September 1st 1939, that day`s paper read. HITLER INVADES POLAND. USA TO REMAIN OUT OF THE WAR IN EUROPE. Dave shrugged, brushing off the news. After all, he saw it coming. He made his way back to the apartment that he shared with his older brother, stopping on his way to pick up a few groceries since bro never did. Apple juice, eggs, bacon, just basic necessities. Once he returned home, Dave flung the door to the apartment open. “bro. I got food since you never do!” he yelled, waiting for a response. “thanks” came the reply from somewhere inside. Dave set the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter, glancing at the newspaper sitting there. It said the exact same thing that he had read earlier that day. “hey bro, you takin an interest in the news all of a sudden?” he yelled. “it`s not something to joke about Dave, we could get into some serious shit here.” Bro replied, walking into the kitchen from the nearby hallway. “Europe`s at war, what’s stopping them from bombin our sorry asses?” the older strider said, his expression hidden by his darkened glasses. “I was just messin with ya…” Dave mumbled back. “I’m sure we`ll be fine…” he said, suddenly uneasy. Was he really sure that they would be fine? After all, America had said that they weren’t getting involved in the first great war either.  
As the weeks, and eventually months dragged on, Dave`s worry lessened and lessened until he had practically forgotten what it was he was worried about in the first place. He lived in The United States of America. He was safe here. Nothing could touch the good `ol USA. At least, that`s what everybody thought.  
December 7th, 1941. Almost 2 years since he had heard the news of war in Europe, the United States was a complete mess, the entire country in a state of utter panic. News had just spread of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, throwing the country into complete chaos. Dave stared in horror at the headline in front of him. JAPAN BOMBS PEARL HARBOR. USA PREPARES TO FIGHT BACK. He couldn`t believe it. America, the neutral country, the country that was supposed to stay out of everyone`s business, the country he felt safe in, had been attacked and was now at war. Dave couldn`t explain it, but a certain part inside of him suddenly burst. He was absolutely furious. What did we do to them? Why kill hundreds of innocent people? Dave sped home, practically breaking the door right off its hinges as he flung it open. “BRO” he yelled. “what?” came his brother`s voice from the kitchen. Dave ran in, gasping and trying to catch his breath before speaking. Bro raised an eyebrow. “Woah woah, easy there lil man. What`s got ya so worked up?” he asked. Dave looked up, his eyes hidden behind dark shades, but passionate nonetheless. “Bro, I’m joining the military.”  
There was a still silence that filled the room, making Dave feel a bit uneasy. Finally, after a few moments, bro spoke. “You sure about this?” he asked, his voice surprisingly calm. Dave nodded vigorously, his mind firmly made up. “well, I ain`t gunna stop ya if that`s really what you wanna do.” The older strider said, giving Dave an approving nod. “Just be careful, alright? No getting yourself killed.” He said jokingly, although Dave could sense the underlying worry in his brother`s voice.  
Dave left shortly after that, wasting no time in applying for the army. He said his goodbyes to bro, the only person he really had, and before he knew it he was on a boat to the UK. It all seemed to happen so fast. One day he was strolling through New York City without a care in the world, and the next he was on his way to a training camp in England where he would be taught how to fight. Not that he didn`t already have basic knowledge and training from Bro, but it was still required before he could be sent into battle.  
It felt like years before Dave finally reached his destination, although it had only been a couple of weeks. He felt uneasy, nervous almost. But Striders hide their emotions. ‘don`t be a little bitch’ Bro`s words echoed though his head. “Shut the fuck up bro…” Dave muttered to himself amongst the crowd of people around him on the boat. “You say something there, mate?” came an unfamiliar voice from beside him. He looked over to see a boy with bright green eyes, blocky rectangular glasses, and short black hair that was flipped to one side. He looked to be only a little bit older than Dave. The boy smiled at him, showing a pair of big dorky front teeth. Dave cocked his head to the side questioningly and raised an eyebrow. Was this kid talking to him? “Me?” Dave asked. “Yes you, silly who else would I be asking?” the other replied with a slight British sounding accent. “I was…just talking to myself…” Dave muttered in response, pushing his sunglasses up his nose as if to avoid him. The boy cleared his throat awkwardly, shuffling his feet a little. “Ahem, let me introduce myself. My name is Jake English” he said, holding out his hand for Dave to shake, which he did. “Dave. Dave Strider.” He replied.  
Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd as the ship docked. One by one, the men unloaded, stepping onto a ramp that lead to a dock. Dave felt like he was going to throw up. He had prepared himself for it, but now that it was actually happening, he was becoming unsure of himself. Did he really want to go through with this? ‘Snap out of it Strider, this is for your country.’ He thought to himself, looking nervously at the ground. He suddenly felt a comforting hand on his shoulder, only to find that it belonged to Jake. “Hey there, champ. You look nervous. You`ll be fine, trust me!” the other boy grinned warmly, trying to cheer Dave up a bit. It worked. Dave relaxed, becoming noticeably less tense. “Thanks” he said, smiling back ever so slightly.  
Finally, it was his turn to leave the ship. He took in a deep breath and walked down the plank and onto the dock, basking in the feeling of solid ground beneath his feet. Oh, how he`d missed land. He stepped into the grass and walked up a narrow path before coming to a large barbed wire fence, of which he was waved through. Dave took his place with the rest of the new recruits in a large group that surrounded a rather important looking man. “Alright, listen up newbies. We`ve got rules around here, and if you would like to keep your puny testicles intact, I suggest that you follow them.” The man said in a cold, stern voice. “My name is Commander Ampora, and you will address me as SIR. Am I clear?” a loud, ‘sir, yes sir!’ resonated throughout the crowd. “Good. Now, does anybody know the reason why they call me ‘Dualscar’?” he asked, but didn’t give anyone time to respond. “it`s because when I fought in the first great war, I got these scars from taking on an entire German legion by myself!” he said, pointing to 2 large off-color streaks across his face. Dave gulped nervously. He had never been scared of another human being before, but this guy just totally freaked him out. He had a bad feeling about him.  
After the Commander`s rant about rules and respect, Dave made his way to his bunker, exhausted. It was already well past six o`clock in the evening, and he hadn’t slept properly in weeks. He collapsed onto the first bed that wasn’t already occupied, not even bothering to take his shoes off. “Tired?” he heard a voice from beside him, jolting up to see who it was. It was Jake again. “Wow, fancy seeing you here! And you`ve even picked the bunk right under mine! I can tell we`re going to be great friends.” The other boy beamed. Dave smiled back, happy to have found a friend in this new and unfamiliar place. “Yeah. I`ll bet we are.”


	3. unlikely friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if anyone is actually reading this story, you guys are lucky i love you cuz i just stayed up till 2 in the morning to finish this chapter because i promised myself that all my chapters have to be at least 1000 words. id love feedback, since i really feel like the story is going too fast.....

Dave awoke the next morning to the sound of a trumpet blaring outside, and the sound of marching men. He groaned and rolled over, looking out the small window next to him at the faint rays of light shining through. He slowly sat up, slipping on his shades that were lying on the bedside table. Before Dave knew it, the door to the bunker flung open with a loud crash.  
“ALRIGHT, SLEEPIN BEAUTIES. WAKY WAKY!” came a loud voice from the doorway. A large silhouette of a man stood there firmly, his feet spread ever so slightly and his strong arms at his side. Every man in the room was up faster than Dave had ever seen another human being move. He scrambled to his feet as well and saluted the man, who he had now identified as commander Ampora. The sound of slow, heavy footsteps filled the room as the commander made his way down the bunker, eyeing every soldier carefully. He stopped at the very last bunk, staring at the lump in the covers angrily. “EXCUSE ME, PRINCESS. NAP TIME IS OVER.” He yelled, kicking the bed and causing the lump to bolt up frantically. The covers fell off, revealing a boy who looked to be about Dave`s age. He was thin and scrawny, with short black hair that was sticking up in all directions. The boy frantically fumbled around on the bedside table until he found a pair of black rectangular glasses, putting them on with shaking hands. He blinked a few times, staring up at the commander with bright blue eyes. “Sir, I’m sorry, sir!” he squeaked, his voice cracking nervously. “THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU MAKE ME WAIT, EGBERT. ONE MORE TIME AND ILL SEND YOU RIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE OF A NAZI CAMP TO FEND FOR YOURSELF, YOU WORTHLESS MAGGOT. ALMOST EVERY GOD DAMN DAY IVE GOTTA WAKE YOU UP MYSELF YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING LAZY SACK OF SHIT. NOW GET YOUR SORRY ASS OUT OF BED!” Commander Ampora exploded, clearly having dealt with this soldier before. Dave almost felt bad for the poor kid. He looked absolutely terrified. “Sir, he didn't mean it, sir.” He spoke up, feeling every eye in the bunker suddenly turn to him. The Commander turned to Dave slowly, walking over to him without a word. Every step he took, Dave could feel himself shrink a little. “I-I mean….. He apologized… so I just uh…. Sir” Dave gulped, suddenly seeing his life flash before his eyes. What had he done? “what`s your name, soldier?” the commander asked, his apparent fury hidden by a false layer of calm. Dave took a deep breath. ‘Calm down Dave. You could kick this guy`s ass any day.’ He thought to himself. He straightened himself up, looking the commander right in the eye. “Strider. Dave Strider.” He said calmly. Commander Ampora scowled, turning back to the boy he had just left. “Well, Strider. Since you seem to be such a heroic fellow, you and your little friend over here can go ahead and run laps for the rest of the day. No food. No breaks.” He said. The boy`s eyes widened noticeably in shock. “b-but sir! M-my asthma!” he said, his voice still shaky. The commander grinned menacingly. “Well, what a cryin shame.” He said, and with that, he marched out of the room.  
Dave quickly ran over to the boy, who was practically in tears. “Hey there man, are you alright?” he asked, as the other soldiers began to leave the bunker to begin their training for the day. The boy sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve. “Y-yeah…. Not the first time that`s happened” he replied, laughing halfheartedly. “Hey that guys a dick. Don’t pay attention to him. Someone just shoved a pole up his ass, that`s all.” Dave said, ruffling the boy`s hair a little. “what`s your name, anyways?” he asked. The boy looked up at him, glistening sky blue eyes meeting concealed shaded ones. “John.” He smiled, showing his big dorky front teeth. “John Egbert.” Dave smiled back. “Well, John Egbert, we sure do have a fun day ahead of us. Let’s get you up and ready.” He said, holding out his hand to help John up.  
The two got their shoes on, stepped out the door, and began their laps. They circled the camp over and over again, making sure to run extra fast when passing commander Ampora. Whenever John seemed to be out of breath or would start gasping for air, Dave would pretend to trip and fall over to give the other an excuse to stop and wait for him. Every time he fell, he scuffed himself up a bit, but he didn’t care. He got up and kept on running. John was extremely grateful for the breaks that Dave would allow him, although he insisted that he didn’t have to keep hurting himself for his sake.  
By the end of the day, both boys were exhausted. They made their way back to their bunker, giggling a bit at a few inside jokes they had developed throughout the day. “Well, that wasn’t as bad as it could have been. You’re pretty cool, Egbert.” Dave said, smiling at the other. John grinned back, his face still a little red from running so much. “You too, Dave!” he said happily. “I’m just sorry that you got on commander Ampora`s bad side because of me…” he said, looking down at the ground, his joy fading a bit. Dave shook his head and nudged the other with his elbow. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I brought that on myself. I don’t care how far up in the ranks he is, I’m not gunna let anyone talk to another person like that.” John’s expression softened a bit. “Thank you.” He said, looking up at the red and orange light that was glinting off of Dave’s shades. “I hope we can be friends.” He said, holding out his hand. Dave laughed a little. “aren’t we already?” he said, before taking the other`s hand in his own as the two of them shook on it. They both grinned and agreed in unison, “friends.”


	4. getting to know eachother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow sorry this took so long, i've got this personal policy to make every chapter at least 1,000 words and i wont post it if it's less than that

The next few days were pretty much what Dave expected when he’d signed up for the military, although starting off on a bad foot with his commander wasn’t exactly in his original plan. He mainly stuck around Jake and John, mentioning occasionally how they looked so oddly alike. But Jake dismissed any possibility of them being related, as he had moved to America from England at a very young age with his grandmother and he was sure that he had no living relatives. John would laugh at the mention of it, saying “well I’m clearly the better looking one” at which Dave would laugh right back.  
Dave explained his story to them, and how he was inspired to join the military after his home country was attacked by the Japanese. John on the other hand, had no choice in the matter and didn’t really want to be in the military. Jake had joined the army due to his hunger for adventure, and thought that fighting over-seas would be exciting. That, and he knew that he was good with a gun and figured he would put it to good use.   
By the end of the week, the trio had become good friends. They ate together, trained together, and roomed together. They were practically inseparable. Dave claimed leadership over the group, stating that he was ‘the coolest’ out of all of them, at which Jake and John would simply laugh and nod their heads in unison. The three of them agreed to protect each other at all costs, promising that once they were sent into battle that they would stick together and look out for each other.   
It was a fairly chilly morning as John stepped out of the bunker into the fresh air. He could only be in the stuffy, dusty room for so long before his asthma got the better of him. He was the only one awake at this time of day and he smiled as he took in a deep breath, sighing and looking up at the citrus colors that splashed across the morning sky. ‘You’d never think there was a war going on right now…’ John thought to himself as he took a seat on the front steps. Suddenly, he heard the door creak open behind him. John whipped his head around, startled out of his train of thought. He was surprised to see a very sleepy Dave Strider plop down next to him, rubbing his eyes under his shades. “Dave?” John looked over at the other. “John.” The Strider in question replied groggily. “What are you doing up?” John asked, cocking his head to the side. “I could ask you the same thing.” Dave said as he yawned. John shrugged in response. “I can’t stay in the bunker too long. Asthma.” He said. Dave nodded sympathetically. The two shared a few moments of silence, looking up at the sky as the sun began to show more and more of itself. After a few minutes went by, John looked back over at Dave. The morning light glinted off of his shades in brilliant streams of orange and pink, and John sort of wished he could see the other’s eyes. It intrigued him to know what Dave looked like without those sunglasses on. “You never did answer my question.” He said, nudging the other with his elbow. “Couldn't sleep.” Dave answered, yawning again. “Then why do you look like you just woke up?” John chuckled. “Because I did just wake up.” Dave smiled back and ran a hand through his messy blond hair. “y’know, everyone else is gunna be up pretty soon.” He said, looking around at the empty camp. John nodded. “Yeah well, a bit of quiet time is nice while it lasts.” He said. “Haven’t had much of it since I got here…”   
Before they knew it, they heard the sound of the morning trumpet signaling that it was time to get up. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.” Dave chuckled to himself as men flooded past them out the door of the bunker. John laughed as well. “Yeah, it was nice sitting with you Dave.” He smiled and stood, offering the other a hand to help him up. They heard the voice of a very groggy Jake from behind them. “Well, up a bit early, aren't we?” he said, stretching his arms above his head. Dave turned to him. “Egbert needed some fresh air, his fragile little princess lungs can’t handle the intense manly musk in there.” Jake laughed. “Can any of us really?” he said, walking over to join the two.   
The trio made their way to the dining hall, where they were served the same nasty sludge that they were served every day. Dave had a habit of flicking it a John, who would then proceed to flick it right back. Their little food fights tended to escalate quickly, with Jake having to get between them, often getting covered in it himself, although they always ended with plenty of laughs and playful insults.  
“Hey, what’s the date?” Dave asked as the other two looked up from their trays. Jake looked around the room until he found a calendar. He squinted, lowering his glasses so that he could read it from a distance. “March 27th” he said. Dave looked mildly distressed as he rung his hands together nervously. “Why?” Jake asked. “We’re leaving the camp on April 10th.” Dave replied. The three went silent for a few moments, glancing at each other. “We all remember our deal, right?” Dave asked. John and Jake nodded simultaneously. “Pinky promise.” The three intertwined their smallest fingers together, and shook on it. “We’ll be ok.” John said, his confidence wavering for a moment. “Of course we will. We three are unstoppable!” Jake chimed in happily, although some insecurity could be sensed in his voice as well.   
They didn’t talk much the rest of the day, although they still stuck together. They knew full well what was ahead of them. At least, they thought they did.


	5. it's raining, it's pouring, John Egbert is snoring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am going to try and keep on a schedule with these updates, but i may miss a day or two now and then so i apologize in advance since this story actually seems to be getting popular! i am so excited for whats to come (no its not a character death)

The next day was stormy, yet training went on as usual. John, Dave, and Jake proceeded with their typical daily routines, complaining a bit whenever mud splashed up into their faces as they ran. “Fuck this weather…” Dave groaned, trudging along beside the other two.  
“I kinda like it!” John said, enjoying the feeling of the rain on his skin. Dave made an overly-dramatic disgusted face and wiped some mud from his cheek. “How in the hell could you ever possibly like THIS.” He grunted.   
“The water feels nice, especially since we’re out here working our asses off.” John replied, flicking some water off of his fingertips and onto Dave to prove a point. “You can’t tell the difference between water and sweat out here” he laughed.  
“I’m really hopin that was water…” Dave grumbled. He never liked the rain, especially when he had to be out in it, let alone run around in the mud. He thanked every possible god in existence for the fact that his shades protected his eyes from the water and mud that were currently attacking his face. 

Once they made it back to the bunker by the end of the day, the three boys were absolutely drenched. John shivered a bit as he pulled off his soaked shirt, throwing it onto the floor by his bed. He changed into his night time clothes, practically collapsing onto the mattress. Dave raised an eyebrow questioningly. “Yo, Egbert you ok?” he asked, noticing that the other didn't look so good. 

John nodded, sniffling a bit before letting out a high pitched sneeze. “I’m fine… Just a lil tired” he said, taking his glasses off and curling up underneath of his blanket. 

Jake looked worried as well. “You don’t look so good, champ…” he said, walking over to John. “I’ll be right back.” He said, quickly walking out the front door of the bunker. Dave walked over to John after the other had left. “You okay?” he asked. 

John let out a weak whimper. “N-not really…” he admitted, coughing into his sleeve. 

Dave sighed. “See, the rain really does suck. And now we've got a sick little John to worry about.” He said, placing a hand on John’s arm. He could feel the other shaking beneath him. “We gotta get you a doctor or something.” He said, just as Jake re-entered the room, followed by a young and cheery looking nurse. They made their way over to where John was and the nurse pulled up a chair and sat next to him, placing a hand on his forehead. “What seems to be the problem, deary?” she asked, her voice sweet and innocent. “My name’s Feferi. I’m here to help!” she smiled warmly, causing John to weakly smile back. 

John coughed again, careful not to aim it at anyone. “Don’t feel so great.” He said, his voice suddenly sounding noticeably more scratchy than usual. The nurse huffed a bit, crossing her arms. “I TOLD commander Ampora not to make you guys train in this weather. But he never listens to me.” She said, pulling out a glass thermometer. “You’re not the only one to get sick today.” 

Dave frowned. “Is he gunna be okay?” he asked. The nurse smiled back reassuringly. “It’s just a cold. He should be fine in a few days.” She said, standing up. “There isn’t really much I can do, other than tell you to drink lots of fluids and stay rested Honey.” She said, turning back to Dave. “Well, I’m going to go have a chat with the commander.” 

Dave looked a bit stunned. “You mean you’re not scared of that guy?” he asked. Commander Ampora terrified him.

The nurse shook her head. “Of course not! He’s really just a big baby.” She said, leaning in close to whisper something in Dave`s ear. “His favorite color is purple. Violet, to be exact. He absolutely adores the flowers.” She grinned.

Dave snickered at that. Maybe he had overestimated his commander. Then again, he didn’t want to take any chances. “Good to know.” He said, nodding at her. “Thanks for comin here. I’m sure you’re busy enough already…” 

Feferi smiled, her cheeks glowing a rosy pink. “Oh don’t thank me, it’s my job!” she said, giving a little nod before leaving.

Jake laughed from his side of the room. “I like her. She’s just precious.” He said after he made sure she was gone.

Dave agreed, that nurse was absolutely adorable. “She’s all yours, man.” 

Jake flushed bright red and sputtered a bit. “W-what… I didn't mean it like that!” he stuttered. That only made Dave laugh at him. He looked down at the floor, awkwardly pushing his glasses further up on his nose. 

Dave looked at John, who was barely staying awake at that point. There was no way the boy could train like this. “You take it easy, alright Egbert?” he said, patting the other’s arm.

John gave a sleepy nod before promptly passing out.

Jake made a light ‘tsk’ noise with his tongue. “Poor kid…. What luck to get sick in the middle of a military training camp. And with just over a week before we go into battle!” he shook his head sympathetically.

Dave shrugged. “We just gotta help him get better, that’s all.” He said.

Jake cocked his head to the side. “What can we do? Even the nurse said that there was nothing that she could do.” He pointed out.  
“Well, we can keep an eye out for him. Make sure he gets better before we have to go. Y’know, friend stuff.” Dave replied, looking over at the lump that was slowly rising and falling on the bed.

“you really care about him, don’t you?” Jake asked.

Dave looked down, as if he was embarrassed to admit that he actually gave a shit about another person. “He’s my friend. Of course I do. I care about you too. You’re both my best friends.” He said, pushing his sunglasses further up on his nose as Jake had done earlier. 

Jake smiled at him. “Well, the same goes for you. To be truly honest, you two are some of my only friends…” he said with a nervous chuckle.  
Dave sighed. “Yeah when I said best friends, I meant only friends.” He admitted, shuffling his feet awkwardly.

“Best friends. Forever. The three of us. What do you say?” Jake asked with a wide grin as he held his hand out to Dave, who gladly took it. They gripped each other’s hands firmly and shook on it, as they had in the dining hall. Only this time, without the currently snoozing John.

Dave smiled. A real genuine smile, not his typical ‘cool guy’ fake side smirk. “Yeah.”


	6. Sick of War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm not dead i swear, i'm still writing this so don't worry. it will be finished. i'm not one of THOSE people :B

Dave woke up the next morning, groaning a bit in pain from slipping around in the mud so much the previous day. He blinked and slipped on his shades before slowly standing. Jake hopped down next to him from the upper bunk, yawning and putting on his own glasses. "Morning, chap." He mumbled. "Mornin." Dave answered. 

A small cough came from the other side of the room, and the two of them both turned their heads toward the sound. Oh right. Dave had almost forgotten about John. 

He walked over to the other's bed, sitting on the edge and poking at the lump underneath of the blanket. "Yo Egbert, feelin any better today?" He asked, receiving a grunt in reply. "I'll take that as a no." He chuckled halfheartedly. "Rest up, kiddo." He said, gently patting the boy's back and standing up. John mumbled something incoherent and pushed the blanket away from his face. "Can't... Gotta train..." He said, his voice scratchy and rough as he sat up slowly. Dave placed a hand on the other's chest and gently pushed him back down. "Woah there buddy, you're not goin anywhere today." He said. John whined in response, reaching over and putting on his thick rectangular glasses. "But I have to!" He barely managed to squeak out. Dave shook his head. "I’ll get nurse Fef in here, you just sit your dorky ass right there and rest up, alright?" John pouted a bit but nodded. "Fine." He grumbled, pulling the blanket back over his head.

Dave turned around to face Jake. "Jake, go get Feferi." He said. "But you said-… ugh. Fine." Jake huffed and walked out the door, returning a few seconds later with the energetic nurse. "Wow what a coincidence! I was already on my way here." She giggled. "You boys go get some breakfast, I’ll handle him." She said, pointing to John. 

The two nodded, walking out the doors and down the worn dirt path to the dining hall. Dave looked up at the blood orange streaks that painted the early morning sky and sighed in content, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. Jake did the same. "Nice day, huh?" Jake said, crossing his arms as he kicked his heels into the ground with each step. Dave nodded, smiling just a bit. “too bad Egbert can’t be out here to enjoy it.” He said. Jake chuckled, earning him a questioning look from the other. “What?” Dave asked. Jake turned to face him, his big front teeth exposed in a wide grin. “Golly, you sure do seem to think of that fellow a lot, don’t you?” he teased. Dave huffed. “What’s that supposed to mean? He’s my friend. Of course I think about him.” He said. Jake rolled his eyes, making a ‘tsk’ noise. “It was just an observation, that’s all.” He said, turning his head back to face forward. 

Dave wouldn't admit it to himself, but he did seem to find the other boy on his mind quite often. He didn't tend to think much of it. They were friends right? The three of them were a team. But then again, why didn't he think about Jake that much? Dave tried not to dwell on it for too long, instead trying to focus on his training. After all, they were leaving to be sent into battle soon. He had to make sure he was ready.

The next few days were dull, not much different than any other days they had spent in the camp. John stayed in bed slowly getting better, Jake and Dave continued without him, and they all prepared themselves for battle. Both physically and mentally. John would often open up to Dave whenever they found themselves to be alone. He would admit that he was absolutely terrified for what was coming, and if Dave was honest with himself, so was he. He tried his best to comfort the other, wrapping his arms around him and holding him until he calmed down. He had no idea what it must have been like to be drafted into the military, having chosen this path himself, but he felt for John. Dave missed his bro, and from what John had told him, the boy missed his dad as well. He assured him over and over again that it would all be alright, that he would protect him, although he wasn't even certain he could protect himself. They were best friends by now, and there was no way in hell that Dave was ever going to let any harm come to this boy.

The date just kept getting closer and closer. Dave counted down the days until they would be sent out of this training camp and into battle, both excited and petrified at the same time. What if he died? Would news ever get back to bro? What about John and Jake? How would they handle it? He tried not to think like that, instead imagining the feeling of victory and how good it was going to feel to see the dead body of Adolf Hitler lying in a pool of his own crimson blood. He had heard rumors of labor camps that were spread throughout Europe, in which the German dictator would send Jews and others that he did not see fit to call themselves German, to be put to work. Often times, the prisoners were tortured, mistreated, and often killed. Or so Dave had heard. He imagined himself freeing them, seeing their smiling faces looking up at him in gratefulness. He imagined the praise he would receive once he returned back to the U.S. he imagined welcoming parades, cheering people, and his bro patting him on the back and saying “Dave, I’m proud of you.”

But of course Dave knew that was all ridiculously unrealistic. There would be no cheering, there would be no praise, there would only be sadness. He knew he would have to kill, and it was something he wasn't entirely sure he was prepared for.


	7. Progress update

Wow it's been a while! I do apologize for that. Updates will be coming though, i promise! I will probably start writing again tomorrow, since my summer was pretty busy/stressful. Keep on the lookout!


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